Honestly after pondering it a bit, I think the SOUL trait assignments for the Gordons are pretty spot-on!
Gordon B is immensely Patientā perhaps even too patient, but it's what we love about him. He's just got so much care for everyone and hope for the better, and he's willing to give someone all the time they need to come around, or to help them sort something out.
Swap being Justice is also very befitting; he wants to make things right and do his best by others!! He wants to do right by his morals and standards for himself (which he's learning to also be gentler with himself about and to not judge himself too harshly)! All of his behavior in Redux especially, hammering in how much he looks out for everyone and tries to amend things or help ease the weight of The Askers Latest Bullshit is just. Yeah absolutely, dead-on, Swap is Justice 100%.
Now, Malcom being Kindness is VERY interesting to me, because thus far it feels more like something he is learning to beā but that does also fit him in a way! After all, the flowers in DR Chapter 5 weren't 1-to-1 reflections of their traits either. But rather, learning to BE those traits because it's what they wanted most, and wanted to work toward. Seems very fitting of what we have for Malcom so far, and I honestly love that for the guy.
Doc's being Perseverance is just. Yeah. I can't even dispute that one that man has a RIDICULOUS amount of mental fortitude to keep going and persist through it all, after the horrible shit he's been through (and WILL go through). Spot-on there.
Player's being Integrity, too, is a lovely little choiceā he's a pretty chill, honest and down-to-earth guy! These are the things you'll immediately notice about him when he isn't panicked about something! He can be very chill and understanding toward the others, encourages them, but isn't afraid to voice his own thoughts on a matter in a way everyone can hear and understand the angle of. Just. Yeah absolutely love that pick for him.
Back to Malcom for a moment, however: I'd argue Bravery also fits for Malcom/can be swapped with Freeman's assignment (being a Regular Guy in the midst of all these shenanigans is a LOT to face, especially when his situation is just a GAME, where it's been painful reality for others to some varying degree). Having the Bravery to stick to his guns as he learns to face these things AND help the others face theirs, even calling the Admins on their shit TO THEIR FACE? Bravery would fit Mal a little better, I think. He is kind, absolutely, but it's the Bravery to choose to be different in spite of himself amd everything else around himā to confront all that's haunted him since he learned the truth, because he WANTS to be better and WANTS to be kindā THAT is Bravery. Not necessarily just sticking to your guns and calling people out on their shit, but also accepting you fucked up and working to amend what you can without letting it eat you.
That leaves the swapped position of Kindness for Freemanā both as something he was, as something he is underneath the mask of cold/calloused government man that "doesn't need connections" (you KNOW he misses that connection and closeness like hell even if he doesn't remember it), and also something he'll learn to be again when adjusting to the way his life has changed and learning who he is now as a person. The one thing that stuck out the most to me about the flashbacks the Admins had of him, was just how kind he was. Persistently even, to the point of willing to give Benrey another chance (after initially Duking It Out) despite how TERRIFYING that must've been to face off against his best friend that was an eldritch alien! Bravery to persist through it all and still stand tall, absolutely, is a trait that is still VERY befittingā especially given what may happen later with GVRV! But the trait I'd argue stands out the most about him as his Main One, especially as we get to know who he will be without the weight of the multiverse and his job on his shoulders, is a man who's kind. Who sees everyone as just, hurt people that are struggling and understands that struggle, and doesn't want them to be alone in it once he realizes/understands what's going on. You can see the way that kindness bleeds through in little and quieter ways throughout Redux already!
Funny enough, there's just as much argument for Kindness being Gordon B's Big Trait tooā it's an even toss-up between these two! Ultimately though, the biggest trait Gordon B has is his Patience, because you need a LOT of that to be as persistently and stubbornly kind as Gordon B can be.
YEA HONESTLY. i slept on it (im in europe rn lol) and i think malcom and freeman should swap. bravery fits mal better and kindness fits freeman
jacobvanloon
2087
prguitarman
snowghoul
origamiaround
turnnoffyourmind
